Well packer



Sept- 24, 1963 H. L. SANDLIN ETAL WELL PACKER Filed Sept. 25, 1961 34 B H226M33 5l 3 NQSSZZSWW 9 ATTORNEY United States Patent "O 3,104,717 i ELL PACKER Herman L. Sanellin and Adelbert Barry, beth oi Houston,

Tex., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Jersey llroduction Research Company, Tulsa, lda., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 25, 19%1, Ser. No. 141,942 2. Claims. (Cl. 16e- 187) This invention relates generally to inflatable or eX- pansible balloon-type packers and is a continuation-inpart application or application Ser. No. 699,725, entitled Well Packer, led November 29, 1957, by Herman L. Sandlin and Adelbert Barry.

-` More particularly, the invention relates to an in-ilatable lseeve type well packer made in separate layers, at least one of which is formed of material having diiferent in'llate and hardness properties than the others.

One present sleeve type well packer design utilizes an inilatable rubber bladder provided with metallic reinforcing means and attached to metallic end support members. In the fabrication of this packer, a single piece natural rubber bladder is applied in a transfer moulding operation, which forms a solid mold rubber inflatable element bonded to the reinforcing means and to the end support members. lf the bladder is dam-aged when in use or if the bladder is defectively formed in lthe molding process, it is diillcult to salvage the end support members and the metallic reinforcing means. The only known ways to salvage these metal parts are to dissolve the rubber by undesirable, time-consuming chemical means or to burn off the rubber with resultant damage to the metallic members. Because of the superior strength and elasticity of natural rubber at well temperatures as compared to synthetic compounds, it is preferred to make the bladder of this material. p

In one known arrangement of this type packer, its expansible sleeve or bladder is expanded from the inside with fresh water harmless to the bladder and carried initially within a positive displacement pump which is made part of the well pipe string. Although inilafting water does not adversely affect the inner rubber of the single-piece packers, the borehole wall may abrade and Iborehole lluids in many cases attack and damage or destroy the outer cover rubber.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide lan inflatable sleevepacker yin which the outer surface thereof is resistant to :the destructive effect of well iluids and abrasion, and in addition has a desirably large ratio of collapsed to expanded packer diameter. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inllatable type packer in which the metal parts are easily salvaged. A further object of the invention is to provide an inflatable packer in which the inflatable element or elements are readily replaceable.

Brieily, the invention essentially comprises a Well packer formed of separate layers which include an inflatable inner sleeve; an expansible illler sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; an eXpansible outer sleeve surrounding the liller sleeve; and a reinforcing sleeve arranged between the ller and outer sleeves; the inner sleeve material is of greater elasticity and of lesser durometer hardness than the material for-ming the -outer sleeve. Also, if desired, the filler sleeve may be formed of material having the hardness of the outer sleeve but greater elasticity.

The above object and other obiects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a more detailed description of Ithe invention taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a vertical, sectional view of the assembled packer of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a View taken on lines 2 2 of FIG. 1; and

ice

'FIGL 3 is a perspective cutaway View of the inner inilatable packer element.

For a more complete description of the invention, reference is made to the drawings in greater detail. ln FIG. 1 is shown a hollow mandrel 10 formed to provide passageways 11 and 12 and a central bore 9 therein and 'adapted to be connected at the upper end tot a packer pump or other packer inllating means (not shown), and Iat the lower end to a tail pipe or other tubing string (not shown). Upper and lower support members 13 and 14, respectively, are slidably arranged on mandrel 1i?. An inner inflatable sleeve bladder 15 surrounds mandrel 10 `and is arranged Ibetween upper and lower support members 13 and 14, respectively. Bladder 15 is formed to provide upper and lower recesses 16 and y17 adjacent the upper and lower ends, respectively, of bladder 15, which in turn provide lip portions 18 and 19 on bladder 15.

An expansible sleeve assembly generally designated 20 surrounds bladder 15 and comprises upper and lower end plates .-21 and 22 formed to provide circumferential recesses 23 and 24, respectively, therein; a reinforcing sleeve 25 formed for example of braided ribbons or wire arranged -in recesses 23 and 24 and secured therein by means of a resin in accordance with the disclosure in U.S. patent application Serial No. 660,210, entitled Anchoring Reinforcing Cables or Braids in Well Packers, by Herman L. Sandlin, filed May 20, 1957; an expansible rubber liller sleeve 26 arranged between sleeve 25 and inner bladder 15; and an outer expansible sleeve 27 arranged about sleeve 25. Upper end plate 21 is threaded to support member 13 as at 30, and lower end plate 22 is threadedly secured to lower support member 14 as at 31.

The packer is preferably employed in conjunction with hydraulic load adjusters such as disclosed and claimed in U.S. Patent No. 2,779,419, entitled Improvement in Cable Reinforced inflatable Packer, by W. D. Miounce. The hydraulic arrangement as shown in FIG. l includes an upper stationary member 32 threaded to mandrel 10 Ias at 33, and a lower stationary support member 3dthreaded -to mandrel lil :as Iat 35. A head 36 is threadedly connected to support member 13 `as at 37. Head 36, support member 13, stationary member 32, and mandrel 10 cooperate to form Ia reservoir or fluid Ichamber 40; and stationary member 34, lower support member 14 and mandrel 10 cooperate to provide a reservoir or fluid chamber 41. Fluid chambers 4i) and 41 iluidly communicate via passageway 12 in mandrel 101. Various sealing means `are provided for the upper portion of the packer apparatus. Thus, sealing means and 51 are arranged on headl 36 and are adapted to seal off the spaces between support member y13 and head 36, and between head 36 `and mandrel 10, respectively. Sealing means 52 V are arranged on upper stationary member 32 and are adapt-ed to seal oif the space between support member 13 land stationary member 32. Also, sealing means 53 are l larranged on support member 13 and are adapted to seal oil the space between mandrel 10` and support member 13. Additional sealing means 54 and 55 are provided for sealing off the space -between upper end 'plate 21 and support member 13. y

Similarly, various sealing means are provided `for the lower portion of the packer apparatus. Thus, sealing means 60 and 61 are anranged on lower stationary member 34 and are (adapted to seal oil the spaces between stationary member 354 and mandrel 10, and between stationary member 34 and lower support member 14respectively. Sealing means 62 lare arranged on lower support member 14 and are adapted to seal loff the space between lower support member 14 and mandrel 1G, :and sealing means 63 and `643 are yadapted to seal olf the space Ibetween lower end plate 22 and lower support member 14.

Having fully [described the elements, nature, objects,

and operation of our invention, we claim:

1. A Well packer comprising:

a mandrel;

first and second spaced-apart Asupporting means slidably land .replaceably arranged `on said mandrel;

iirst and second end plates releasably threaded to said rst and second supporting means, respectively;

an inflatable inner sleeve surrounding said mandrel between said first and second supporting means and :formed to provide sealing means Iadjacent the ends thereof for sealing ol lluid ow between said mandrel and said sleeve and said supponting means;

-an expansible filler sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve and bonded to said end plates =at leach end thereof;

an enpansible outer slee-ve surrounding said liller sleeve and Fbonded =at `one end to `said first end plate;

a pervious, metallic reinforcing sleeve comprising lbraided ribbons or Wire arranged between said ller and outer sleeves and secured to said end plates, the other ends lof said outer sleeve being `secured in place 'between said reinforcing sleeve and a portion of said end plate;

said inner sleeve being removable (and replaceable upon removal of either supporting means from said Imandrel; and

passageway means provided in said mandrel `for conveying fluid for inflating said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve being made of material having :greater elasticity land less durometer hardness than the material of which said :outer sleeve is made.

2. A Well packer `as described in claim 1 wherein said 10 iilller sleeve is made of material having substantially the same durorneter hardness as yand greater elasticity than the material of which said vouter slee-ve is made.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,516,581 Lynes et al. July 25, 1950 2,643,722 Lynes et al. June 30, 1953 2,738,014 =Lynes Mar. 13, 1956 2,778,432 Allen Ian. 22, 1957 2,779,419 Mounce Jian. 29, 1957 2,827,965 Mounce Miar. 25, 1958 2,828,823 Mounce Apr. 1, 1958 

1. A WELL PACKER COMPRISING: A MANDREL; FIRST AND SECOND SPACED-APART SUPPORTING MEANS SLIDABLY AND REPLACEABLY ARRANGED ON SAID MANDREL; FIRST AND SECOND END PLATES RELEASABLY THREADED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS, RESPECTIVELY; AN INFLATABLE INNER SLEEVE SURROUNDING SAID MANDREL BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS AND FORMED TO PROVIDE SEALING MEANS ADJACENT THE ENDS THEREOF FOR SEALING OFF FLUID FLOW BETWEEN SAID MANDREL AND SAID SLEEVE AND SAID SUPPORTING MEANS; AN EXPANSIBLE FILLER SLEEVE SURROUNDING SAID FILLER SLEEVE AND BONDED TO SAID END PLATES AT EACH END THEREOF; AN EXPANSIBLE OUTER SLEEVE SURROUNDING SAID FILLER SLEEVE AND BONDED AT ONE END TO SAID FIRST END PLATE; A PERVIOUS, METALLIC REINFORCING SLEEVE COMPRISING BRAIDED RIBBONS OR WIRE ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID FILLER AND OUTER SLEEVES AND SECURED TO SAID END PLATES, THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID OUTER SLEEVE BEING SECURED IN PLACE BETWEEN SAID REINFORCING SLEEVE AND A PORTION OF SAID END PLATE; SAID INNER SLEEVE BEING REMOVABLE AND REPLACEABLE UPON 